The Chief Architecture Officer

The first page results for Chief Officer on Google include:

Chief Executive Officer Chief Information Officer Chief Petty Officer Chief financial Officer Chief Happiness Officer ()

ENTERPRISE PORTAL

The next page continues with chief procurement officer, chief security officer, chief operational officer and chief risk officer or chief talent officer are also in use probably to be found a few pages further...

But what about the Chief Architecture Officer?

Architecture is the engineering-art of building and transposed to the business world (business architecture, enterprise architecture, information architecture, what have you) this is about who your organization is built by people, systems, infrastructure, etc.

We continuously build teams and have "constructive" meetings whereas there are also situations where one team is not aware of what the others are doing; what results is double work, half finished projects and contracts all over the work-place where people no longer understand each other.

Understanding is something where language is involved and speaking one language where people from different cultural backgrounds (sales, ICT, human resources, marketing, customer service, operation, distribution) understand each other is a challenge that most organizations have to solve. But are often incapable of.

The language of architecture offers such a format where stakeholders in the process can build each with their background but towards a single construction. "A pattern language," written by the architect Christopher Alexander is one example in the world of physical buildings. But it should also be possible to develop such a language in the business world. If people would only agree on a few guidelines...

Recently I learned about a bank who appointed a risk officer whose job it was to see whether the profile of a new business (development) would really fit the risk-return profile of the company. These things have never been an issue, but it is one of the first activities of architecture; the check whether business activities fit the profile of the organization.

I don't think that a company should introduce roles or function of architects, like business architect or information architect, or enterprise architect... as long as what is being build fits what is needed. That your organization is supporting the right business in an efficient and effective way.

The Chief Architecture Officer... something to consider?

The Chief Architecture Officer

© 2009 Hans Bool

ENTERPRISE PORTAL